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24

Gouldian Finch (Erythrura gouldiae) Alternate name(s): "Purple-breasted Finch", "Painted Finch*" Size: 13-14 cm Weight: 12-16 g

Australia: Family Group 24 Family Group 24 Table Singing Bushlark Australian Pipit Eastern Yellow Wagtail Citrine Wagtail Grey Wagtail White Wagtail Zebra Finch Double-barred Finch Long-tailed Finch Black-throated Finch Masked Finch Crimson Finch Plum-headed Finch Pictorella Mannikin Chestnut-breasted Mannikin Yellow-rumped Mannikin Blue-faced Parrot-Finch Diamond Firetail Beautiful Firetail Red-eared Firetail Painted Finch Star Finch Red-browed Finch Gouldian Finch Thumbnails page Family group table Index of bird names Habitat pages Key plants Birds Australi home page

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description Click here for a physical description With their wispy, long tails, Gouldian Finches are medium-sized finches in total length, but their bodies are small. Their plumage is dimorphic, i.e. males and females are slightly different. Both sexes have a green fringe around the facial mask, a grass-green back, cobalt-blue rump and black tail. The belly is bright-yellow, the undertail coverts are white. There are three morphologies, which have differently coloured facial masks. Most Gouldian finches have a black facial mask comprising forehead, ear coverts, lores and throat. Some have a crimson facial mask and others a yellow-ochre one. The different morphologies can come in mixed flocks. Male Gouldian Finches of all morphologies have a lilac chest, whereas females have a grey chest. The eyes have black irises. The strong, wedge-shaped bill is ivory-coloured, with a reddish tip. Juveniles are light grey-brown, with a small white throat patch and an olive-grey back.

Taxonomy, classification See Gouldian Finch at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species Click here for information on habitat and range The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found, based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to ebird.org . The global distribution of the Gouldian Finch is available HERE . Gouldian Finches are endemic to Australia. They are found only in the tropical North of the continent. Their range extends from the East coast of the Gulf of Carpentaria (with the exception of the tip of Cape York peninsula), along the South coast of the Gulf, throughout the Top End of the NT, as far South as about Gregory NP, and into northern WA, up to about Derby, WA. Within that range, their habitat has been much reduced in recent decades and as of 2012 population numbers are declining. Gouldian Finches are found in open woodland and grassland.

Sightings Click here for sighting information B. Hensen reports spotting Gouldian Finches on the Marrakai track, about 15 km South of Arnhem Highway junction, NT, in August 2012 and again in August 2013. More Gouldian Finches were found along the Marrakai track in July 2018. H. Mouritsen reports spotting a single immature Gouldian Finch along the Edith Creek Road near Katherine, NT, in October 2015. P. Brown reports finding a Gouldian Finch along the Buchanan Highway, a few km southward of the junction with the Victoria Highway, NT, and at Timber Creek, NT, in November 2018. The species was found again along the Victoria Highway, between Katherine and Timber Creek, NT, in March 2021. In September 2019 P. Brown found of order 60 Gouldian Finches in one flock at Tumbling Waters Caravan Park, near Darwin, NT, at a time when a total of about 200 were estimated to be in the area. More Gouldian Finches were found in the Nitmiluk Gorge, near Katherine, NT, in July 2020. M. Eaton reports finding Gouldian Finches in the township of Katherine, NT, in July 2020. In September 2021, P. Brown found an estimated 400 Gouldian Finches at the Alexander Forrest Cain Rest Area on the Stuart Highway, NT. About 90% of these were juveniles, indicating excellent breeding success.

Photos

Red morphology

ADULT

MALE

Frontal view of a red-faced male Gouldian Finch (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Katherine, NT, July 2020]

Near-frontal view of a red-faced male Gouldian Finch (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Katherine, NT, July 2020]

Near-lateral view of a red-faced male Gouldian Finch having a drink together with Double-barred Finches
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Nitmiluk Gorge, near Katherine, NT, July 2020]

Lateral view of a red-faced male Gouldian Finch foraging on the ground (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Marrakai track, NT, July 2018]

Lateral view of a red-faced male Gouldian Finch; note the radiant colours (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Tumbling Waters, near Darwin, NT, September 2019]

Small group of Gouldian Finches, both black-headed and red-headed morphologies, with three immature birds at the left and back (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Marrakai track, NT, August 2012]

FEMALE

Frontal view of a red-headed female Gouldian Finch with reduced colour in the face (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Tumbling Waters, near Darwin, NT, September 2019]

Near-frontal/ventral view of a female Gouldian Finch; the pale-mauve chest and the reduced red on the face characterize this bird as a female - note also the two long, wire-like inner tail feathers that are typical of Gouldian Finches
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Tumbling Waters, near Darwin, NT, September 2019]

Near-frontal view of a female Gouldian Finch (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Nackeroo Lookout Road, Timber Creek, NT, November 2018]

Near-lateral view of a female Gouldian Finch (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Nackeroo Lookout Road, Timber Creek, NT, November 2018]

Near-lateral view of a red-headed female Gouldian Finch with reduced colour in the face (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Tumbling Waters, near Darwin, NT, September 2019]

Frontal view of a red-headed female Gouldian Finch with reduced colour in the face (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Tumbling Waters, near Darwin, NT, September 2019]

Sex unknown

Mixed flock of Gouldian Finches and Budgerigars in flight (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Top End, NT, July 2018]

Black morphology

ADULT

MALE

Frontal view of a black-faced male Gouldian Finch (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Katherine, NT, July 2020]

Near-lateral view of a black-faced male Gouldian Finch (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Katherine, NT, July 2020]

Close-up near-lateral/ventral view of a black-faced male Gouldian Finch (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Katherine, NT, July 2020]

Near-lateral/ventral view of a black-headed male Gouldian Finch; click on photo to see, for comparison, a juvenile Chestnut-breasted Mannikin (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Buffalo Creek Road, Darwin, NT, August 2019]

Near-lateral/ventral view of a male Gouldian Finch (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Tumbling Waters, near Darwin, NT, September 2019]

Close-up lateral view of a black-faced male Gouldian Finch (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Katherine, NT, July 2020]

Lateral view of a male Gouldian Finch (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Nitmiluk Gorge, near Katherine, NT, July 2020]

Close-up near-dorsal view of a black-faced male Gouldian Finch (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Katherine, NT, July 2020]

Near-dorsal/ventral view of a black-faced male Gouldian Finch (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Katherine, NT, July 2020]

FEMALE

Frontal view of a black-faced female Gouldian Finch; note the muted colours compared to the males shown above
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Buchanan Highway, NT, November 2018]

Frontal view of a black-faced female Gouldian Finch (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Buchanan Highway, NT, November 2018]

Lateral view of a female Gouldian Finch (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Tumbling Waters, near Darwin, NT, September 2019]

Near-dorsal view of a black-headed female Gouldian Finch; note the paucity of blue around the black mask
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Buffalo Creek Road, Darwin, NT, August 2019]

Near-dorsal view of a black-headed female Gouldian Finch, slightly different stance (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Buffalo Creek Road, Darwin, NT, August 2019]

Small group (possibly family) of Gouldian Finches, with a red-headed male, a black-headed female and two immature birds (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Marrakai track, NT, August 2012]

Comparison of a female Gouldian Finch with a Masked Finch (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Buchanan Highway, NT, November 2018]

Comparison of a female Gouldian Finch with a Masked Finch (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Buchanan Highway, NT, November 2018]

PAIR

Pair of black-headed Gouldian Finches, male on the right (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Marrakai track, NT, July 2018]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Lateral view of an immature Gouldian Finch; the bill is still dark and the colours are dull, but the black facial mask has already developed (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Tumbling Waters, near Darwin, NT, September 2019]

Near-frontal view of two immature Gouldian Finches; note the light-blue spots near the gape (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Marrakai track, NT, July 2018]

Lots of juvenile Gouldian Finches in a nursery; these form part of a flock of ca. 400 in total
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Alexander Forrest Cain Rest Area, Stuart Highway, NT, September 2021]

Frontal view of a juvenile Gouldian Finch (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Marrakai track, NT, August 2013]

Near-lateral view of a juvenile Gouldian Finch (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Katherine, NT, July 2020]

Lateral view of a juvenile Gouldian Finch (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Katherine, NT, July 2020]

Lateral view of a juvenile Gouldian Finch (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Tumbling Waters, near Darwin, NT, September 2019]

Lateral view of a juvenile Gouldian Finch (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Marrakai track, NT, July 2018]

Lateral/ventral view of a juvenile Gouldian Finch (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Nitmiluk Gorge, near Katherine, NT, July 2020]

Adult male Gouldian Finch, left, with a dependent juvenile that was begging for food (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Marrakai track, NT, July 2018]

Pair of black-headed Gouldian Finches being joined by two juveniles (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Marrakai track, NT, July 2018]

Small group of Gouldian Finches, both black-headed and red-headed morphologies, with three immature birds at the left and back (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Marrakai track, NT, August 2012]

Juvenile Gouldian Finches that have joined a Chestnut-breasted Mannikin rookery (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Buffalo Creek Road, Darwin, NT, August 2019]

Juvenile Gouldian Finch, far left, and black-headed adult, far right, in a Chestnut-breasted Mannikin rookery
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Buffalo Creek Road, Darwin, NT, August 2019]

Breeding information

Breeding season: Jan - Apr

Eggs: 4 - 8

Incubation period: 12 - 13 days

Fledging age: 21 days

Nest

"bungobittah", "lar", "malunna", "jindi" [bundjalung] = nest [Aboriginal]

Type: Dome in tree hollow

Material: Grass

Height above ground: ? (low)

Gouldian Finches can have more than one brood per season. They are the only Australian grass finches to nest (almost) exclusively in tree hollows.

Male Gouldian Finch at the entrance of its nest hollow (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Victoria Highway between Katherine and Timber Creek, NT, March 2021]

Male Gouldian Finch at the entrance of its nest hollow (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Victoria Highway between Katherine and Timber Creek, NT, March 2021]

Eggs

"boyanga", "booyanga", "derinya", "dirandil", "koomura", "mirk", "ngampu", "nooluk", "pateena", "pum-pum" = Egg; "dirundirri" = eggs [Aboriginal]; "gawu" = eggs [gamilaraay]

Size: 17 x 13 mm

Colour: White

Shape: Tapered oval

Behaviour

Like all species of finches known to us, Gouldian Finches are gregarious.

Flock of Gouldian Finches feeding on a vacant caravan spot (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Tumbling Waters, near Darwin, NT, September 2019]

Like all species of finches known to us, Gouldian Finches like to bathe.

Female Gouldian Finch taking a bath together with Masked Finches (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Nackeroo Lookout Road, Timber Creek, NT, November 2018]

Food, Diet

Adults: Seeds

Dependents: Regurgitated seeds

Water intake: Daily

Like all other finches known to us, Gouldian Finches feed on seeds.

Lateral view of a male Gouldian Finch feeding on seeds (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Marrakai track, NT, July 2018]

Gouldian Finch feeding on grass seeds (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Tumbling Waters, near Darwin, NT, September 2019]

Frontal view of a juvenile Gouldian Finch feeding on grass seeds (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Tumbling Waters, near Darwin, NT, September 2019]

Gouldian Finches foraging on the ground (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Tumbling Waters, near Darwin, NT, September 2019]

Gouldian Finches foraging on the ground (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Tumbling Waters, near Darwin, NT, September 2019]

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

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